The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-09-23


cepting an apology from them. When
they come to you again, tell them you
are glad to see what honest little boys
they mean to be, and that you will for
give them. Don't undo the effect Of
what l have said my making light of
it, will your
1t was not in mans nature TO resist
such an entreaty, especially when a
pair of supplicating blue eyes, which
were looking at him through mist of
tears, aided the effect of her words
In dazed sort of way he put out his
hand, only to withdraw it again as
suddenly.
What right had such toil-blackened
palm to hold those tiny white fingers
in its grip.
"You're in the right, Mrs. Canlis, as
sure as my name is Orrin Eden,
though it didn't strike me that way be-
fore. I'll do just as you say in the
matter Send the lads along, and they
sha'n't know but what value the old
rusty things as if they'd been pure
gold out of the mine."
"Thank you, Mr.. Eden," was the
low-toned response.
Then Mrs. Canlis turned away and
hastened after the children.
'1f there were more women like her,
we'd have more honest men," thought
the smith, as he watched the slender
black-robed figure as long as he could
see it.
Then as he went on with his work,
and hammered away al the glowing
surface of the iron he was moulding
into shape, fancy came to him, as
bright but more enduring than the
glittering sparks which flew from the
anvil at every resounding olang of his
ponderous hammer.
He did not act upon it, however, for
several weeks.
Then one afternoon he took holi-
day from work, and, dressed in his
Sunday suit, walked to the door of the
widows cottage, and withoutss giving
himself time to hesitate, seiz,d the
handle of the polished brass knocker,
and gave two OF three blows with it
upon the oaken door,
As he waited for it to be opened, he
soliloquised half ruefully:
"One would think / had forgotten
that that door wasn't an anvil instead
of piece of wood. 1t is lucky thing
it didn't fly to pieces before my eyes.
Oh, good day, Mrs. Canlis; it's fine
sunny afternoon
"Yes, the shower has left very pleas
ant weather after it. Will you walk
in, Mr.. Eldena"
He accepted her invitation, and fol-
lowed her into the sacred precincts of
the "best room,' and seated himself on
the edge of a chair, while Mrs. Canlis
threw open the carefully closed blinds
and let in flood of light, thinking
meanwhile:
"What can Mr.. Eden be coming
here for at this time of day, and dress.
ed up in his best, tool
Gail we'll at home, Mr.. Elden?' she
asked with sudden thought that
something might have happened to the
aged grandmother, who was his only
living relative.
"Yes as we'll as usual
An embarrassed pause followed
Then Orrin Eden commenced hesitat
ingly:
"I've come over to see you on a mat
ter of business, Mrs. Canlis-that is
. about something which is of great i'm
portance to me, though / don't know
what you'll think about it. The fac
is, I've come to ask you to marry me.
The little woman was so taken by
surprise that she first turned red, ant
then pale, and then red again as sh,
1 stammered out an almost inaudible:
"Oh, MIR. Eden"
But, the ice once broken, Mr.. Elder
did not give her chance to conclud
her sentence. All awkwardness ant
, hesitation vanished under the infuenc
of his intense earnestness.
, "You know my history he said, il
8 a manly and straitforward way whicl
arrested and held Nelly Canlis' atten
r ton, and did much to calm the agita
ton his abrupt offer had created il
8 her mind, "snd you know why it i
f that have remained single man t,
this day, and thought to have gon
t down to my grave without ever givinl
another woman the chance to jilt me
But I've altered my opinion OF the Sc:
4 lately. I've had my doubts about an,
good looking Of the bright but Gas Pv
. believed till within short time) falls
faces of any one who could claim
, sisterhood with-well, with the CIR
who played game of fast and loos
. with a true heart years ago. Yol
, know who mean, though I'll not men
/, tion names. l nigh worshipped tn
. ground she walked upon, and sh
: made believe to return my love, ant
all the time was angling for highe
game-the squire's son. Well, res
her soul; forgase her long before tn
daisies grew over the grave her high
born husbands neglect dug for her
q Poor thing, she suffered enough! Blu
D from that day to this haven't seen th
woman who has had the power to at
tract my love until that morning whel
3 l saw unhinching honesty look at m
out of pair of blue eyes, and the,
were set in your face, Mrs. C,nlis
I've seen them shining since the
r everywhere I've looked-in my forge
fire, in my walks, and in my dreams
} II you'll marry me I'll try and max
you as happy as you deserve to be
l and I'll be as good to your children a
though they belonged to me by ties o
blood. | don't expect you to love m
all at once, for know how true you'v
been to poor Toms memory; but il
) time"
, A mingling of emotion had beel
contending for the mastery IN Nell,
Canlis mind as she had listened. Sur
prise and indignation, however, wer
!, the most prominent ones. How di,
any man dare to ask her to marry him
1t seemed like species of sacrileg
. to even broach such thing to hel
But at the mention of that name
, keen pain drove all other thought
away, With little cry she put ou
3 her hands,
"Please stop! You mean well, bu